The Surprising Secret to Perfect Skin

The latest research shows that the key to attaining an awesome complexion may be linked to your ethnic background.

You know that many factors can affect your skin: the weather, your menstrual cycle, your cleansing routine, the Pill, and yes, your diet. But there's one factor you don't hear much about: your ethnic background. At the latest American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting, several research dermatologists spoke about the role ethnicity plays in the overall condition of your skin. Here, top skin docs offer insights that'll help you score

and maintain a gorgeous complexion based on those revelations.

Sources: Jeanine Downie, MD, coauthor of Beautiful Skin of Color; Flor Mayoral, MD, of Miami; Jessica Wu, MD, of Los Angeles; and David E. Bank, MD, of Mount Kisco, NY.